


Sleepwalk

by ChilledLime



Series: Werewolf Heart [1]
Category: CrankGameplays - Fandom, Unus Annus - Fandom, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cooking, Cuddling, Denial, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Injuries, Unus Annus, Werewolf! Mark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:48:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27425203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChilledLime/pseuds/ChilledLime
Summary: “I had to pee?”If looks could kill, Mark would be dead on the floor.-In which Mark is a werewolf, and Ethan is really just tired of his shit.
Relationships: Mark Fischbach & Ethan Nestor, Mark Fischbach/Ethan Nestor
Series: Werewolf Heart [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2048396
Comments: 24
Kudos: 291





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man oh man, I'm back on my bullshit with another werewolf au. 
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I respect Mark and Ethan's friendship to no end, and Mark's relationship with Amy. This is written as part-character study, part-wanting more of their dynamic, and part-loving werewolf aus. Please for the love of god, do not harass them about their relationships. This is a work of pure fiction. 
> 
> Also, the title is from "Sleepwalk" by Forrest Day, go check it out! 
> 
> Now! Onto the story.

Ethan hummed gently along to the song Mark had put on, feet tapping quietly against the car floor. He looked out the window at the passing scenery, but his mind was elsewhere. All he could think of was what they’d do at the camp - his body was practically thrumming with excitement. The pair had gone over a basic outline of videos they wanted to film before they left, but it wasn’t _just_ about that. Just the fact they were getting away from most of their responsibilities - _together_ \- his mind helpfully supplied, just to fuck around in the woods for a week, was enough.

He felt Mark’s gaze on him for a moment, and moved to return it. “Hmm?” The younger hummed, a combination of the car’s movement and the soft music playing in the background making him a bit tired. “Oh, ‘s nothing.” The other shrugged, keeping his gaze trained on the road. Ethan let himself look for a moment longer before returning to the window, his thoughts drifting back to where they were before.

Eventually, the blurred green landscape was a drag to look at, and Ethan needed something with a bit more energy. He was almost tempted to ask how long until they were there, but he got the feeling Mark would light-heartedly mock the childish question; so he kept that inside.  
A moment paused. “So, uh, did you have anything specific you wanted to do outside of filming?” His voice felt foreign from lack of use, and the boy almost cringed at the silence it broke. He heard Mark made one of his Thinking Noises, before getting a reply. “I’m not sure, I guess just spur of the moment things? I didn’t plan much outside video ideas,” He gave a soft shrug, “Maybe once we see the site I’ll have more ideas.”

Ethan wasn’t surprised the other man hadn’t thought of much, he has a bad habit of forgetting things that aren’t for videos. The younger was used to having to gently prod at Mark to get him to do basic things like sleep for more than 3 hours; or eat more than once a day. It was almost part of his normal routine, to shoot Mark a text asking if he had stayed awake all night, and to insist if so that _no Mark, we can film later in the day, you need to sleep._

The way Mark fell into his routine was almost scary, if Ethan let himself dwell on it for too long. It also made a feeling churn in his gut, one he’d prefer to ignore, thank you very much. He shook himself after realizing he was staring at the dashboard, and moved his attention to the road. It felt like they had been in the car for _hours_ , but it probably was only 2.

His leg started to bounce impatiently, the movements moving up his body; so all of him was eventually vibrating. Ethan heard a soft exhale from the man beside him, but it didn’t seem annoyed, thankfully. He knew Mark wouldn’t be rude like that, but the younger couldn’t help but worry just a bit.

Pulling out his phone, he went to go browse his socials before being met with **no signal** when he tried to refresh the page. He grumbled and put it back in his pocket, having remembered why he wasn’t using it in the first place. It’s not like he was dependent on it, but there was only so much to do in a car in the middle of nowhere. Ethan once again hoped they’d arrive soon.

“Don’t worry Eth, we’re almost there.” Mark assured, almost like he read the younger’s mind. “Thank _god_ ,” He huffed out, “Feel like I’m losing my mind being stuck in here.” Ethan could practically feel Mark’s friendly eye-roll, but wasn’t deterred. Reaching over, he turned up the music just a little. It had faded into the background of his mind, and he wanted something to focus on besides that which surrounded them.

The rest of the trip went by like a blur, his mind drifting from one thought to another; unable to stay on one for long. His eyes went out of focus a while ago, and his head leaned propped on his hand against the window. Suddenly, the car came to what felt like an abrupt stop; shaking Ethan from his daze.

“We’re here,” The older hummed, unbuckling his seatbelt and opening the door. He stepped out with a groan, cracking his back and stretching his arms. The other watched with fondness, and couldn’t help but crack a joke. “Your age is showing there a bit, Mark.” “Oh shut it, you.” He huffed with a sigh, but didn’t deny it. Ethan went through the same motions as Mark, with less old-man grunting. The sun shone down on his porcelain skin, the heat feeling good in comparison to the constant ac blowing in the car.

Ethan let himself look around, his eyes catching on the cabin nearby. He assumed they were staying there, since the parking spot seemed to belong to it. Beyond the cabin, there was a fence, and a long field behind that seemed to stretch for miles. Trees surrounded the cabin, but were far enough apart the sun could stream through with ease. “It’s nice,” He commented, mostly to himself rather than to Mark. Having not bothered to look at the pictures provided online, he had taken Mark’s word that it was a good place; and wasn’t disappointed.

The trunk popped open behind him, and his attention moved to that. “Help me out a bit here, Eth?” Mark prodded lightly, hauling out his own suitcase. “Oh- yeah, sorry.” Ethan mumbled, and went to the back of the car; grabbing the light blue suitcase he called his own. Setting it on the ground, he grabbed one of the small cooled bags, with perishable food inside. Pulling the suitcase’s strap over his shoulder, he took the smaller bag in hand.

He looked back at Mark, who was carrying the other box of food and his suitcase. “That all?” The older nodded, and shut the trunk with a soft thud. His body started to thrum again in excitement, now that they were finally there. This was going to be a _blast._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try to have a consistent update schedule, thinking about once a week? Maybe closer together if I'm feelin extra inspired. Bye for now though!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, aside from this update being uploaded close to the first, I think the upload schedule will be every 3-4 days. Probably to be posted on Fridays or Wednesdays.

It only took about a half an hour to get settled in the cabin - though Ethan was having trouble believing it was one. The cabins he had been to when younger looked more traditional, prominent wood walls, rustic feels, no electricity. Here, on the other hand, was more like a house with a cabin _aesthetic._ Not that he minded, though. 

There were two rooms, thankfully; each of which had two beds. Ethan was more drawn to one over the other, but Mark was oddly insistent that he had to have that room. The younger was confused, but tried to brush it off. There wasn’t anything special about it, in all honesty. The only remarkable trait is it was closer to the living room, and the door. It nagged at his mind, and though he wanted to assume Mark was just being stubborn for the sake of it, he couldn’t shake the feeling there was more to it than that.

So he had taken the other room, tired from the car ride and not wanting to put up a fight. He began to unpack his toiletries, a few changes of clothes, his laptop, among other things. After hastily emptying his suitcase, the boy returned to the living room, in search of the wifi password. Hunting around for a bit, he eventually found it on a small slip of laminated paper. He put it into his phone, made a mental note of it so he could get it on his laptop as well; and left it in the open so Mark would be able to find it. 

Once he had his things sorted, _clothes in the drawers, soap in the shower;_ Ethan grabbed his laptop and threw himself onto the bed. The mattress was cold, but only a little stiff. Overall, not the most uncomfortable thing he’s ever had to sleep on. After putting in the password, he checked his email, responding to any that were urgent.

Mark had been awfully quiet, and it took a while for Ethan to realize the fact. He wasn’t shocked that he couldn’t hear from his room, but _still._ The older was usually a bit louder, a bit more all-encompassing. There was none of that, here, and it made him just a bit worried. He tried to ignore it. 

They weren’t going to film anything that day (thankfully) as they had arrived at 4pm, and the sun wouldn’t be up for long enough. After unpacking, 4pm turned into 5pm. Ethan’s stomach gave an unhappy noise, and he realized that he hadn’t eaten in hours. Letting out a soft sigh, he shut his laptop and put it on the bed. The cabin was surprisingly cold, and he pulled a yellow hoodie over his head. 

Quietly walking out to the living room, and into the kitchen, he was met with Mark lounging at the table. “Oh, hey man.” The older greeted, not looking up from his phone. “Was wondering when you’d come out of there,” Ethan offered a gentle laugh in return, and moved to rummage through the kitchen. Mark had unpacked the food, but it still wasn’t much compared to what he was used to. 

“Should we go to the store tomorrow?” The younger asked, turning to look at Mark as he finally moved his attention away from the phone. “Yeah, we probably should. Sometime during the morning? So we have a good amount of daylight to film?” He suggested, meeting Ethan’s eyes. The feeling in his gut returned, and he quickly looked back to the fridge. 

“That sounds good, I’ll make sure to set an alarm.” Ethan _was_ going to sleep in, but a shopping trip with Mark sounded more exciting. 

After cooking up a small dinner - mac n cheese, with roasted vegetables - they had lounged in the living room for a bit; boredly flipping through the channels on TV. Ethan had settled in the one-person lounge chair, Mark laid out on the couch. The older man made a noise of boredom, and eventually settled on the weather channel. “Damn, I don’t watch TV much but I swore there were more interesting things than this.” He commented dryly, pulling out his phone and beginning to scroll. 

Ethan hummed in agreement, having been browsing his phone for a while now. He thought about suggesting an activity, but that would require having one; and there really wasn’t. His eyes darted around the room, searching for something. There was a large fireplace near the TV, a wooden cart with the classic board games, puzzles, and a deck of cards. Aside from them, though, there wasn’t much to fill up the room. It almost felt empty, cold. He swallowed heavily. 

Hours slowly ticked by, and eventually it was 11pm. The dull lamp in the corner, the TV, and the moon were the only things lighting up the room. Ethan was reminded of how _easy_ it was to get lost in his phone, and mentally pushed himself to not do that, at least not _here._ He looked over at Mark, who’s body seemed to be a little more stiff, waves of discomfort rolling off of the older man. His lip pulled back, both in worry and confusion. _Maybe he had seen something bad on his phone?_

It’s not like he was going to ask, though. Along with forgetting basic needs, Mark also was prone to hiding any emotions not deemed positive enough. Ethan sighed, pushing himself off the chair with a huff. “I think I’m gonna go to bed,” He mumbled, trying not to practically run out of the room. The air was too much to bear, sue him. Clicking the door behind him, he stumbled to the bathroom, hastily brushing his teeth. Returning to the bedroom, he shoved his laptop over to the side and gracefully launched onto the bed. 

He shed his shoes, socks, jeans, and hoodie; leaving the latter on the bedside table. The moon was lighting up the room almost as much as the sun had; and he figured it would almost be full. _That would be nice to see out here._ Ethan was excited to stargaze, especially. With the lack of light pollution, the milky way would be a lot more visible here than back in LA. 

Making a note in his head to not forget about that, he pulled the duvet over his small frame. Normally he’d browse his phone for a while before sleeping, but enough of that had been done in the living room. His eyes slipped shut, and eventually sleep took him. 

* * *

The light poked through his blinds, hitting his eyelids. Ethan turned over with a groan, still half-asleep. “Jus’ five more minutes..” He mumbled sleepily, but the tranquility didn’t last long; as his alarm started screeching at him not a minute later. Jolting awake, he yelped a little too loudly as he scrambled to find his phone and shut the damn thing off. Silence returned to the room, and he sighed in relief. “Fuck, forgot we gotta shop early.” 

After a few minutes of staring at his phone, he mustered the energy to get up and dress. He dug through the cabinets, until he found what he was looking for. One of his favorite black turtlenecks, with “DEATH” in white letters plastered on the front. Along with that he grabbed a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, black socks, and shoes. He pulled on the clothes, and went into the bathroom to look in the mirror. Satisfied with his outfit, Ethan styled his hair, pocketed his phone, and ventured to the kitchen. 

Surprisingly, Mark wasn’t there. Normally the man was always up early, almost to a fault. Ethan supposed he just hadn’t slept well, as his wasn’t the greatest either. He shrugged it off, easily finding his coffee and starting the pot with enough for both him and Mark. 

He sat down in the seat Mark had occupied the previous day, staring off into space. Eventually the machine dinged, and he gratefully went over to it and filled a cup. He left out an extra for the other occupant, and returned to where he was sitting. Sipping the hot coffee, Ethan finally felt his brain start to function. 

The familiar sound of Mark caught his attention, and he watched as the taller man trudged into the kitchen. He - in short - looked like hell. The dark circles under his eyes were more pronounced than ever, and hair messed from sleep. Ethan caught himself before he commented on it, biting his lip. Even looking like he’d been from hell and back, Mark still managed to be attractive. _Damn._ A flush creeped up the back of his neck, and he rubbed it nervously. 

“Thanks for the coffee,” The older hummed, voice rough from sleep. Filling the mug almost to the brim, and sipping it happily, he sat down on the other side of the table; idly drinking and staring off like Ethan had been doing previously. 

After 10 or so minutes of them having coffee, the comfortable silence was broken by Mark. “Shopping?” Ethan tilted his head a bit to the side, but nodded. “Yeah, we desperately need more food.” He laughed a bit, finishing off the last bit of his coffee. By now he was almost fully awake, and ready to use his head for more than fogging out or having embarrassing thoughts about the man in front of him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates will be rolling out a bit slower - since Unus Annus ended a few days ago and has kinda ruined my motivation to do anything but think about it.

The car ride to the store was uneventful, aside from a few jokes thrown at each other. Mark pulled into the parking lot - almost refreshingly empty - and got out, Ethan following close behind. He grabbed the nearest shopping cart, and the younger boy moved to walk next to the cart.

“So, since we didn’t make a list.. Is there anything specific you’d like?” He hummed thoughtfully, pulling a small bag of chips and throwing it in. “I do have a few things,” Mark’s voice came from behind, the low vibrations of a voice rough from sleep making something churn in Ethan’s chest. “But we can get those at the end.” 

They continued their trek across the store, and the cart was a little over half full. The younger twisted his hands together, turning back to face the other. “Well, that’s everything I had in mind. I know you picked up things too, but what about the things you wanted when we were done with everything else?” He asked innocently. 

Something suspiciously like a flush rose up Mark’s neck, and he coughed. “Oh, uh - yeah. I’ll go grab those.. Stay here?” His eyes were pleading, and Ethan really couldn’t resist; _damn feelings._ “Of course,” The older nodded, and almost rushed out of the aisle. What the hell he could be buying that would cause such a reaction was lost on Ethan, but Mark was weird. Had been being weird, ever since they got there. 

He hummed to himself, looking around the isle Mark left him in while he waited for the mentioned to return. Eventually, he came back around the corner carrying a few items. Ethan couldn’t get a good look at all of them, as Mark quickly shoved them to the bottom; but he did see a roll of what looked like bandage tape and a bottle of biofreeze. 

The younger shot Mark a look of confusion, but didn’t mention it. He was probably just being prepared, in case one of them got hurt during filming. The other looked nervous enough, and Ethan didn’t want to push right now. Later wasn’t off the table, though. 

“Ready to go?” He asked, moving back to the handle of the cart. Mark nodded, and fell behind Ethan as he pushed it to the cash register. Greeting the clerk, the younger pulled out his wallet as their items were put into bags. Mark made a noise of protest, “Hey- Wait no, I should pay!” He tried to insist, but Ethan was already handing his card away. He shrugged with a smug look, “Too late, maybe next time.” “Wh-” “And no, you’re not paying me back. This is on me.”

Mark grumbled incoherently to himself and crossed his arms, but didn’t fuss about it more. _Good._ He was always offering to pay for things, and Ethan both felt bad and wanted to treat his friend. 

Their bags were loaded into the cart, and he gave a polite goodbye to the clerk as they wheeled it out of the store. Since they were parked close, it didn’t take long to unpack them into the trunk and ride back to the cabin. Mark grabbed his specific items - all put into one bag at his insistence - and practically ran into the cabin. Ethan frowned, grabbing some of the other bags and following at a much slower pace.

Setting the bags on the counter, the younger assumed Mark had went to his room. Why though, was beyond him. He went back out to the car, grabbing the rest of the groceries and closing the trunk before going back inside. The other was in the kitchen, unpacking the bags there like nothing had happened. Repeating the motions, Ethan started to unpack them as well and put them in their appropriate places. 

Ethan figured it was best to leave it, for now. They had a day of filming ahead, and conflict could make the footage less than usable. 

Once everything was put away, he made himself a quick breakfast. Knowing Mark was doing his intermittent fasting, and wouldn’t be having any, he only made enough for himself. 

After eating, he went to Mark’s closed door and knocked lightly. “Are you ready to film?” Ethan asked through the wood. A moment's pause, the sounds of shuffling inside, and the door was opening. The older man looked slightly better than the morning, having combed his hair back into a manageable state and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “Yeah, ‘gimme a second.” 

The other stepped back from the door as it was shut again, and tried not to listen to the sounds of whatever was behind it. Less than a minute later, it was back open. Mark held one of their cameras, and a tripod. The familiar pre-recording buzz had begun, and Ethan clapped his hands in excitement. “Well, let’s get to it!” 

* * *

Ethan laughed as Mark shut the camera off, flopping down against a tree. “Good shit today man,” He commented, looking up at the blue sky. The other made a noise of agreement, and sat down near; both catching their breath. It had to be about 3pm, since they filmed multiple videos at a time. 

After a few minutes of silence, Ethan spoke up again. “Food?” Mark nodded, seeming relieved at the mention of it. So they ventured back to the cabin, the younger pulling out ingredients to make a sandwich. He couldn’t help but notice while making it that his companion was practically scarfing down everything he could find. 

He raised an eyebrow, giving a look of mild concern. “Man, filming must’ve really taken it out of you, huh?” Mark looked at him, something suspiciously like panic flashing in his eyes; before he started to laugh. “Yeah man, ’s tiring.” But it sounded fake. 

Ethan’s lips pulled into a light frown, but didn’t comment further; finishing up his sandwich and sitting at the counter. He tried not to watch, but almost couldn’t help it as the other ate what felt like half of all their food. 

Mark didn’t seem to notice the pair of eyes on him, and eventually retreated back into his room. _Odd._ Ethan watched him go, and finished off his food shortly after. He moved over to the couch, and let himself get lost in his phone for a few hours. 

The sunset filtered through the blinds, and eventually the sky was blood red. It lit up the room, before being smothered out like a flame. That was Ethan’s cue to get up, and retire to his room for the night. Less frantic than the night before, he took a shower and brushed his teeth. 

He left himself in just a pair of boxers and a loose tank-top, before crawling under the covers and shutting his eyes. As he was drifting off, he wondered if Mark would act more normal tomorrow. Hopefully. 

* * *

He woke up with a start, panting as he tried to regain control over his body. A nightmare. They didn’t happen often, but when they did, it hit hard. Ethan let out a shaky breath, tangling his fingers in his hair and holding them there. Moonlight shone into the room, illuminating the bed and floor. 

“Fuck,” He whispered, and pulled himself out of bed. Ethan knew he wouldn’t be sleeping again for a while, after that. Pulling on one of the many Unus Annus hoodies he had, and a pair of slides; he left the room. 

Ethan figured that stargazing wouldn’t hurt, to try and clear his mind. He gave a glance at Mark’s closed door, before slipping out into the night. He wasn’t comfortable going too far out, and ended up sitting a few yards away from the cabin. Laying out against the grass, he gazed up at the night sky. 

The milky way was clearly seen - clearer than ever before, besides when they were out in the desert - and it practically took his breath away. He didn’t think he could ever get tired of this, even if he lived out in the country. 

He let himself stare for a while, mind drifting from thought to thought as his heart rate returned to normal. _Mark would like this._ A voice close enough to his own told. Ethan inhaled sharply, feeling a little guilty. Even if Mark would be a little grumpy at being woken up, surely the view would change his tune. 

Standing up, he stretched his arms before heading back to go retrieve his friend. Moving through the cabin, he gave a soft knock to the other’s door. No response. He sighed, and opened the door after another minute of waiting. 

The room was empty. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I was originally going to post this tomorrow but I like this chapter so here. A gift  
> Not every update will be this close together from the last but for now yeah

Ethan felt sick, and fought the urge to vomit there on the spot.  _ Shit shit shit shit-  _ He knew Mark wasn’t in the kitchen, as he would’ve seen the other when he came back in.  _ Where the fuck could he be? _

He put the side of a fist to his mouth, taking deep breaths until his stomach felt okay enough to function. He sighed heavily, resisting the urge to rest his head on the wall. Nothing in Mark’s room looked too out of place, besides being a little messier than Ethan’s. Rubbing his face, he sat down on the other’s bed as he tried not to break down. Ethan  _ knew  _ Mark was acting weird, but he never thought it’d get to this point. He felt guilty at how upset he was over it, and squeezed his eyes shut.

The boy didn’t know how long he sat there, but it felt like hours. Eventually, he regained his composure and left the room, clicking the door behind him. 

Sitting on the couch, he tried to figure out what to do. He could go out looking, but knew the cell reception was bad and the only flashlight he had wasn’t great. Or he could stay at the cabin, hoping Mark would come back. 

Ethan cringed, but figured that going out to look would be more productive than being a sitting duck. He hoped Mark had just left on his own, and wasn’t.. Taken. But nothing could be ruled out. He ventured back into his room, and found a flashlight in the bedside table’s drawer. The boy noticed the slides on his feet, and quickly replaced them with hiking shoes. 

Exhaling loudly, he tried to calm the nerves humming through his body. He  _ really really  _ hoped he didn’t find any bears. Or anything else. Taking one last look behind him at the cabin, Ethan locked the door behind him and set off into the woods.

His first observation - it was a  _ lot  _ more terrifying to be there at night. His hand holding the flashlight trembled, but he wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or fear. 

Though it had only been about a half an hour, he was already losing track of time. The moon seemed stagnant, hanging above him like an interrogation light; contrasting against the pitch black shadows created by the trees. Ethan was following a trail - thankfully - so he couldn’t get completely lost. 

* * *

He hadn’t noticed before, but it was silent. Almost dead silent - save for the crunching of dirt and leaves under his shoes. It almost felt like an intrusion, that he  _ really  _ didn’t belong here. Ethan swallowed again, trying to keep his anxiety at bay. The flashlight shone a good deal ahead, but revealed nothing more but trail and trees. 

The sound of him walking seemed louder than it was, filling his ears and making it hard to focus on anything else. His thoughts seemed foggy, like he was on autopilot. A sound not his own drew him out of it - but it was just a squirrel. 

“M-Mark?” He squeaked, voice just a little louder than a whisper. The boy wasn’t sure what he was expecting, Mark clearly wasn’t anywhere nearby; and his call wasn’t nearly loud enough to be heard from far away. 

Ethan was starting to get tired, his legs beginning to take on a dull pain. He knew he couldn’t go on much longer. The moon was dipping lower in the sky, its light being partially obscured by the trees. He came to a halt, panting softly. He brushed the hair out of his face, and took a moment to catch his breath.  _ Of course  _ he hadn’t found Mark. He came all this fucking way and for  _ what?  _ For his legs to burn and lungs to beg for air? Resentment hummed in the back of his mind, sapping the energy out of him. 

“F-Fucking- Whatever,” Ethan didn’t know who he was talking to, but he didn’t really care. He was tired, in pain; and fed up with Marks bullshit. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, threatening to fall. But he refused to have a breakdown in the middle of the goddamn woods - so he started his way back to the cabin. 

The trek back did go by faster than before, thankfully. The darkness from the trees seemed to consume the final rays of the moon’s light. It wasn’t below the horizon, but low enough to be unhelpful in keeping the woods lit. 

It felt like anger was the only thing keeping him going at this point, and Ethan knew if he stopped walking now it’d be too hard to continue. So he pushed through the increasing pain in his legs, keeping his eyes trained on the trail. 

Eventually though, he finally -  _ finally  _ reached the cabin. His exhaustion grew more and more prominent, as his anger faded into dull annoyance. He always had trouble staying mad at Mark. Not that he would tell the other that, though. He shakily opened the door, stepping in and locking it behind him. At least that way he’d know when the other returned. 

Ethan practically collapsed on the couch, drowsily shutting off the flashlight and setting it on the floor. His eyes were shut before he knew it, and he drifted into sleep easily. 

* * *

A sharp sound jolted him awake, and he looked around uneasily for its source. It  _ had  _ to be Mark, right? But still, something nagged at him to stay there. Maybe it was the exhaustion, not fully drawn away with sleep. Or maybe it was the anger at his friend, leaving in the middle of the night like Ethan  _ just wouldn’t notice.  _ A grimace tugged at his lips. A burn in his chest simmered - betrayal. 

It’s not like Mark forced him to go out looking, but what else would he have done?  _ He  _ was a good friend. He wasn’t up and leaving in the dark, with the door unlocked and no note of why. 

Another noise, this time easily discernible as a knock at the door. It seemed impatient - louder than before. Ethan felt parlayed.

“Ethan?” A muffled voice came from behind the door. The mentioned couldn’t figure out the tone of it, if Mark was about to curse and brood when let in or no. The boy swallowed. Eventually guilt gave in, and he replied “Coming,” He pulled himself off of the couch, making a lame attempt to fix his hair and look somewhat presentable. Ethan couldn’t just forgive him for pulling a stunt like that - at least not as easily as he normally would’ve. 

He opened the door, before stepping aside and not meeting Mark’s eyes. “Oh thank god, I thought you were  _ asleep.”  _ The other seemed relieved, but it didn’t quell the shorter’s annoyance. “Nope.” Ethan replied curtly, crossing his arms. 

“So okay, I’ll bite. What the  _ hell  _ was that about, Mark?” 


	5. Chapter 5

Mark immediately started stuttering out what seemed like nonsense, blubbering on about  _ oh the woods- the trees- the stars  _ \- like Ethan would actually believe him. “Nope, nope, stop for a second.” He cut through the other’s sentence, startling him into silence.

“Cut the shit Mark, give me an actual reason.” It was rare that the other was ever this upset - let alone at Mark - but this was the wrong thing at the wrong time. The younger did finally notice how  _ bad  _ Mark looked, though. Small twigs tangled in his soft dark hair, scrapes and bruises littered on his arms and legs, and dirt stains on his  _ torn  _ (torn?) white shirt. 

The older man’s face tinted red, and it was his turn to avoid Ethan’s eyes. “I- I’m sorry, Eth. I should’ve told you that I was going out.” “Cool, okay. What was it  _ you were doing?”  _ Silence. 

“Mark, I was out in those fucking woods for  _ hours _ looking for you. My legs hurt like shit, and I think I’ve frankly had enough of being alone in dark, unfamiliar woods for one lifetime.” He tapped his foot impatiently, taking a step back from the other. He could wonder about the other’s current condition later, now was his time to be upset. 

“I had to pee?” 

If looks could kill, Mark would be dead on the floor. “Fine, Mark. Have your little secret, but don’t expect me to be all happy bubbly and act like this never happened. You’re lucky we’re only here for another day.” 

Ethan spun on his heel, stalking into the kitchen and leaving a frazzled-looking Mark at the doorway. To say he was pissed was an understatement. After all the shit he went through, he couldn’t even  _ tell him why??  _ The boy couldn’t comprehend what Mark would be doing that was so bad he couldn’t tell him. 

_ Was he out murdering innocent vacation-ers? Prancing around naked in the woods like Hee-Hoo? Practicing climbing trees to live out his apparent dream of being a professional Tree Climber?? It would make sense- given the state Mark was in.  _ There were only so many options as to  _ why,  _ and none of them made sense. Ethan started up the coffee machine, s̶u̶l̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ lurking around the kitchen. He had set his phone out on the living room table before he left, but didn’t feel like going back out there and possibly running into Mark again. He needed space goddamnit, he was going to get it.

Thankfully, the other didn’t follow him into the kitchen and had assumedly went back into his room. The machine dinged, and Ethan eagerly returned his attention to it and made a cup; going back to sit down on the couch he had slept on the previous night. 

He browsed his phone for a while, feeling the anger at Mark fade into a dull ache residing in his chest. It wouldn’t be so bad if he wasn’t so  _ fond  _ of the other, fonder than friends had any right to be. It was almost routine to push those feelings down, to the back of his mind and the corner of his heart; for the sake of their friendship. 

And of course he was worried about him, but that didn’t change much. The boy held back a groan - recording would be tough today. He knew that he could act normal for the camera, and hopefully Mark could too. 

Surprisingly enough, the older man didn’t stay in his room for very long. An hour or so after the confrontation, he came moping out and into the kitchen. He seemed genuinely guilty, which only served to make Ethan feel just a bit worse for being upset. He did clean up his appearance a little - hair combed and sticks removed, small band-aids and larger tape wraps around the worst of the cuts, and untorn clothes. 

_ So that’s why he bought that stuff.  _ Which only served to confuse Ethan even more than he already was. The boy quickly decided that he would wonder (and maybe prod) at Mark more later, being a little too tired for thoughts more complex than  _ coffee, phone, emails.  _

He let himself watch Mark for a while longer, as the other sat at the kitchen table, nursing his own cup of coffee and pointedly avoiding eye contact. Ethan didn’t let himself stare like this often, (the guilt was a lot to handle on a bad day) but indulged this time - letting his gaze linger along Mark’s form before turning back to his phone. The now-familiar feeling of  _ something Ethan was scared to admit  _ curled in his chest like a snake, almost stealing the breath away from his lungs. 

His heart only hurt a little sometimes. 

* * *

It was easy for Ethan to slip into a happier persona for the camera, Mark catching on fairly quickly and following in suit. The footage  _ should  _ be usable, their jokes were landing and chemistry almost as good as genuine. There was only a little bit of tension, when they were in between jokes and were left with uncomfortable silence. 

But overall it was good, the boy had almost no doubt that the videos would be fun to watch for the viewers. Ethan had picked up the tripod, a few feet ahead of Mark as they headed back to the cabin. The tension in the air was almost suffocating, like smog hanging around them. Mark cleared his throat, whatever he wanted to say dying before leaving his mouth. 

The younger bit his lip, unspoken words on his tongue. He so badly wanted to ask  _ why?  _ But he knew Mark would just run around the question. So he stayed quiet, the sounds of them walking in the dirt keeping him grounded. 

They eventually returned to the cabin, Ethan unlocking the door and setting the tripod and camera down on the living room table. It was later in the day than the last time they finished up, and the sun was turning blood red. His stomach made an unhappy noise, and he was reminded about dinner. He sighed, and looked over at where Mark was digging through the fridge. 

“What.. Do you want for dinner?” His voice shook a little, from both nerves and unresolved feelings. Mark visibly tenses up, and continues to stare into the fridge. “Uh,” He pauses to think, giving a fleeting glance toward Ethan. “I don’t really feel like cooking.. Delivery?” The younger hummed, “Sounds good, I think some places deliver up here.” 

* * *

_ Meat. Mark had ordered meat. Well, okay. It wasn’t straight raw meat - it was a steak.  _ Ethan tried not to gawk as his friend basically devoured the meal, seeming to get more frantic as it went on. (It was only a little hot) 

He swallowed, and picked at his salad as he desperately tried to think about  _ literally anything else, _ to no avail. It wasn’t just how the sight.. Made him feel, it was also the fact that he’s never seen Mark touch a steak in all the years he’s known him. He was done in what seemed like minutes, wiping his mouth on the side of his hand and adorning a satisfied look on his face. “Well,” He glanced at the window - the sun had just finished setting. “I’m off to bed. Gotta get up early, so we can have time to film and drive home.” Ethan would almost believe it - Mark was the one with a more consistent sleep schedule - but something was off. 

Maybe it was the tone of his voice, or the way he seemed to curl away from the younger, Ethan honestly wasn’t sure. But his gut screamed  _ this is wrong,  _ and he felt inclined to trust it. Still, he let the other go. Ethan had a feeling Mark would be out again tonight, but really didn’t have the motivation to stop him. His legs still burned when he tried to do more than jog, and sleep fogged his mind. Maybe he could still do something, though. 

“Night.” 


	6. Chapter 6

Mark was gone, to no surprise. Ethan had crouched behind the kitchen counter, curled up into the smallest he could make himself as he hid in the dark and watched as the other stumbled out of the door. It almost scared him, seeing his friend cling to the walls and practically throw himself out. When the door was shut behind him, he straightened back up into a standing position. The boy raced over to the window, pulling on the blinds just enough so he could peek through. 

Squinting, Ethan could see a dark, vaguely-Mark shaped blob a few yards away. It was crouched against the ground, trembling like a leaf. The boy frowned, pressing himself just a bit closer against the glass. The moon wasn’t as high as it was when he had ventured into the woods, and it was a  _ lot  _ harder to discern one shape from another. 

He watched in both awe and horror as it changed _.  _ Not that he could see much of it, but it was easy enough to figure out what was happening. When it- Mark stood up, Ethan realized he was holding his breath. It howled. He felt frozen against the wall.  _ Fuck.  _

His legs shook, threatening to give out, and he slowly backed away until he hit the back of the couch with a yelp. Ethan slowly sunk down into the cushions, staring into the dark as his mind raced with new information. 

Did it make sense?  _ Yes.  _ Was it terrifying?  _ Also yes.  _ It’s not like the boy thought Mark would hurt him - anything but. Still, the fact was hard to wrap his head around. He exhaled loudly through his nose against the couch, pulling himself back into something resembling a sitting position.  _ He could work with this.  _ He had about a million questions he wanted to ask Mark, the desire to know and understand a little overwhelming. 

Truth be told, Ethan hadn’t  _ really  _ believed in those sorts of things. Sure, maybe when he was small and believed whatever was told; but he had grown out of that long ago. But Mark, one of his closest friends?  _ For how long?  _

When he felt like he could stand without falling on his ass, Ethan walked back over to the window and looked out - nothing. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting. The boy sighed, trudging back to his room. The adrenaline was fading, leaving him just as tired as the previous night. Since he had already gone through the nightly motions - so Mark would think he had gone to sleep - Ethan could go back to sleep without a second thought.

One thing was for sure, Mark couldn’t know that he knew. At least not now. 

* * *

Ethan woke up to someone gently shaking his shoulder, them saying something about having to film the final few videos. His brain was still foggy from sleep, and his eyes hurt at the brightness of the bedroom. 

“Awake?” The voice was clearer now - Mark’s. The younger turned to look up at the other, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. His friend looked nervous, like he’d rather be anywhere but here. “Hey, yeah, I’m sorry for waking you up. I know you want space and I promise I’ll give you it- but we really do have to film early today.” 

The boy was tired - too tired to remember why he was upset with Mark. Too tired to remember much of anything, really. But he did know he wanted to sleep in - preferably with the other. He gripped at Mark’s wrist, giving a half-hearted tugging motion.  _ “Tired. Stay?”  _ The other laughed softly, gently breaking from Ethan’s grasp. “I know, but your fully-awake brain would kill me. I made you coffee though, okay? Please?” 

He lay in thought for a minute longer, slowly waking up. “Okay,” He agreed, watching as Mark stepped back with a nod before leaving the room. Giving him space. Ethan smiled a bit, mostly awake enough now to remember the events of the past few days. Of course he was still a little pissy, but the revelation from last night made it harder to stay as upset as he was before. Not that he’d totally forgiven Mark, though. 

Swinging out of bed, he pulled on a hoodie and shorts - making a note to change into better filming clothes after coffee. He made a beeline for the mug set out for him, and sat down at the table with it. 

Ethan let his mind wander as he finished off the drink, rinsing out the mug and putting it in the dishwasher. “I’ll run it, whenever you’re done.” He hummed, getting an “Okay,” from where Mark was sitting on the couch. He went back into the bedroom, changing into clothes he didn’t mind getting dirty from filming as much; and packing the remaining so they could leave right after they finished.

Thankfully, they had already done the biggest project the day before, complete with drone shots and acting. Today they could just fuck around for a few hours out in the fields, knowing the content would be good anyways. 

* * *

Mark pulled up to Ethan’s house, turning down the music he was playing. The drive was quiet, but with a bit less of the previous day’s tensity. The younger had tried to insist on driving (to get even and all) but since it was Mark’s car the other inevitably won. When the car came to a halt, he got out and grabbed his suitcase from the back. 

He went back to the front, giving a quiet “Come out for a sec?” Mark looked hesitant, but agreed; shutting off the car and getting out. “... Yeah?” Ethan inhaled, trying to keep himself from backing out of this. He moved a few steps forward, dropping his suitcase and wrapping his arms around Mark, burying his face in the older man’s neck. “I-,” He mumbled, “I know- I’m still a little upset okay, don’t think I’m not. But..” He let his sentence trail off, not knowing what else to add. 

Slowly but surely it was reciprocated, and Ethan squeezed himself a little closer as strong arms curled around him. “I understand.” The younger could feel the vibrations of Mark’s voice, and fought back a shudder. The warmth radiating off of Mark akin to a furnace was all-encompassing, and all the boy wanted to do was stay there forever. He let himself have it for a minute or so more, before forcing himself to let go. (even though it was the last thing he wanted)

“Thank you,” He mumbled, picking up his case. Mark gave him a small smile, “Of course, Eth. I’ll see you later, okay?” Ethan nodded, walking to his front door and pulling out his keys. The sound of a door shutting, a car starting; and the other was gone. The boy sighed, unlocking the door and going inside. 

He knew he wouldn’t see Mark for a while, and wanted to have  _ something  _ for the wait. Being such a tactile person was a pain, sometimes. And since his friend was giving him the space he requested, there wasn’t much room for touch. Spencer ran over to greet him and Ethan happily bent down to give some much-needed pets. “Hey Spence,” He had probably been dropped off earlier that day, a friend having watched him while they were away. 

Ethan made quick work of unpacking his things, the exhaustion from the day catching up to him. After making a dinner (a sandwich) he lounged on the couch with Spencer, catching up on any emails he’d missed. 

It was a little embarrassing to admit, but he was already looking forward to when he and Mark would film next. They had over a week’s worth of content, so it’d be a bit longer than their normal every-3-day schedule. Still, his heart beat a little faster at the idea. Hopefully it will be soon. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't wanna make Ethan rlly oblivious so know he knows woop


	7. Chapter 7

As predicted, their Camp Unus Annus mini-series was a hit with the viewers. It was fun to watch them react to “Hunting HeeHoo” and was happy with the reception on it. They had put a lot of effort into filming it, and Ethan was proud to see it given the praise it deserved. Of course they did have a few more videos filmed before they left for the few days after, but the need to produce more content was drawing near. 

It was still pretty early, and he had only gotten up and functional (all thanks to coffee) about an hour ago. He had been reading through the comments, a slightly giddy smile on his face; when Mark had texted him. 

**10:34 AM | Mark:** We’re still on for filming later today, right?

**10:35 AM | Eef:** of course! I’ll be there around noon

He finished off the last of his coffee, getting up and setting it in the sink. He had a little bit of time to get ready and make sure his video for the day was set to upload. Filling up Spencer’s water dish, he went upstairs and started the shower; hopping in and out within 10 minutes. Ethan threw some gel in his hair, and made sure everything was set to upload while he was away. 

Going back downstairs, he cleaned the few dishes in the sink and tidied up the house to pass the time. After all was done, he checked his phone.  **11:45 AM.**

Mark wouldn’t be upset if he was there early, so he grabbed a jacket and keys, heading out the door. All he could think about was  _ Mark Mark Mark.  _ It was almost dizzying. Ethan realized then that he was just a little fucked. It was like he'd fallen into the Grand Canyon, never to climb back out. 

The drive to Mark’s house was short, and it seemed like only a minute before he was pulling up in his friend’s driveway. Ethan let himself in with the spare key Mark gave him a while back, looking around and finding the other messing with a tripod. “Hey,” He hummed, hanging his jacket on a hook and going to join him in the kitchen. 

The older man grunted out a greeting, fiddling with it for a moment longer before standing up. “That thing is such a pain,” He huffed, leaning against the table. An amused grin adorned Ethan’s face, and he tilted his head a bit. “When isn’t it?” The younger sat down on one of the barstools, crossing his ankles together. Just  _ being  _ in Mark's presence was enough to lift his spirits. The other shook his head, laughing softly. "Yeah, you're right."

Mark turned around, seeking out a can of coke from the fridge. Ethan propped his head up on his hands, letting himself stare at the subject of what was unfortunately now a crush. He hoped the heart-eyes weren't too obvious. 

Moving around the center island, the older man joined him; seating himself on the other end and leaving a stool between them.  _ Right. He had wanted space.  _ Space was the last thing Ethan wanted now. "It's okay, y'know." He mumbled, only a little embarrassed. "I'm not uh.. Really upset. Could we go back to how we were?" The boy felt almost silly asking such a thing, but he knew if he didn't Mark wouldn't get the message. The other gave him an indecipherable look, before setting down his drink. 

"If you're okay with it. But please don't feel bad, I fucked up big time and I deserved what you said." Nervousness was clear on his face, with also something that looked a little like relief. "I'm positive, okay? Promise." And it was true. Ethan had done a good deal of thinking over the past week, and had come to the conclusion he gave zero fucks that Mark was a werewolf, and liked (loved?) him all the same. Sure, it would complicate a few things. But they'd get through it, they always did. He fought the urge to grasp Mark's hand, instead twisting his own together. A comfortable silence hung over them, nothing like the previous few times. 

Eventually Mark set the coke down and glanced at Ethan. "Y' ready to get started?" the younger stood up, cracking his knuckles. ”Definitely, I kinda missed filming things not gaming related.” He laughed a bit, “So is this gonna be one of those times I don’t know shit about what we’re doing?” 

The other grinned and nodded. “It’s always more fun that way.”

* * *

Mark was acting odd again. Ethan almost didn’t notice, as he got more and more into his more hyper persona for the camera. But it was the small things that tipped him off. Staying just a bit farther apart than they normally would, seeming to shy away from causal touches. He seemed nervous, really. But the younger one couldn't figure out why. He’d already told Mark he wasn’t mad anymore (and it was true) so what could the problem be? 

It didn’t affect the footage at all, but by the time they were done it was getting more and more noticeable. Mark was leaning stiffly against the fridge, after they put away the snow cone supplies used for the video. Ethan frowned. “Are.. You okay? You seem a bit off.” 

The older man sighed, “I’m fine, just really tired.” He paused, seeming to think for a moment. “I haven’t been sleeping well lately,” Mark confessed, running a hand through his hair. It wasn’t hard for Ethan to figure out why, but he wouldn’t mention it. “Stress?”

“Yeah,” The younger boy checked his phone, seeing the time and figuring it was best to head home. “It was good seeing you man. Filming again in a few days?” The other nodded, pushing himself off the fridge. “Yeah, I’ll text you.” Even his responses were short. 

“See ya,” The urge to add something else rose in his throat, but he swallowed it down; going to the door and grabbing his coat. Ethan slipped it on, giving one last look at Mark, and left. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so the last few chapters are going to be a little longer (since I ended up compressing a few story beats together so it made more sense) 
> 
> if you want a song to listen along to while you're reading this, I wrote this chapter primarily to "Christmas Kids" (which I mention in story lmao)
> 
> ALSO CW: For food and mild panic attack/disassociation. Ethan cooks a meal and it's described in decent amount of detail (it's right near the end)  
> and also at the beginning he's a little panicky and feels disconnected from reality. 
> 
> that is all!

Mark wasn’t answering his calls. 

They were  _ supposed  _ to be filming an hour ago, but he hadn’t texted Ethan to remind him; and so he called. Nothing. 

And yeah, Ethan had been getting slower responses lately. But he still  _ got them.  _ The boy rubbed his forehead, setting his phone down on the desk in front of him. He was in his recording studio, and had just finished up some footage for his own channel to send off to his editor. He knew Mark was jittery lately, and maybe not as grounded in reality as normal. But this was a huge step past that. 

He ran a hand through his hair, trying to keep his anxiety from getting worse. Mark was  _ never  _ this off schedule. He called one last time, listening as it rang for a minute or so, and going to voicemail.  _ Damn.  _ It crushed the tiniest bit of hope Ethan had that it was just a fluke, a nightmare; and that Mark was going to answer. The boy picked up his phone, hanging up the call. He’d try texting, then. 

**1:14 PM | Eef:** mark?

**1:15 PM | Eef:** we’re supposed to be filming today 

**1:15 PM | Eef:** are you okay?

Not wanting to blow up Mark’s phone too much, he set it back down and waited for a response. He hadn’t even started to consider all the possible options of what happened, but none of them were good. 

The best option would be that he had slept in, but that wasn’t really viable. Mark was always awake at what seemed was the asscrack of dawn, barely even needing an alarm to get up. Ethan’s sleep schedule was shit in comparison, which is why he knew that isn’t what happened. 

Growing ever impatient, the boy picked up his phone again. 

**1:21 PM | Eef:** I know you’re not asleep

**1:24 PM | Eef:** I’m coming over

It was an easy decision to make. Though he couldn’t go over  _ right that second, he had things to do;  _ he would get there. Ethan made quick work of sending his raw footage to Justin, and making sure everything was backed up before he shut down the pc. Pocketing his phone, he ran down the stairs.  _ Eat, take Spencer out, clean, leave.  _ The phrase repeated in his mind like a broken record, as he hurriedly made and scarfed down lunch. 

When that was done, he called Spencer over and leashed him up. “Ready to go out Spence?” He cooed, scratching the dog’s chin. Spencer’s tail wagged, and he excitedly ran to the back door. 

Afterwards, he went back upstairs; throwing the duvet back on his mattress and picking up the few clothes littered on the floor. Ethan hoped he wouldn’t be at Mark’s for  _ that long,  _ but he really couldn’t be sure of anything anymore. When the room was cleaned to his satisfaction, he went into the bathroom and splashed a bit of water on his face. His heart felt like it was beating just a little too fast, whether from nerves or all the running he wasn’t sure. 

Staring in the mirror felt wrong, like his reflection was off in the slightest ways. It unsettled him. He could feel a heartbeat in his ears. Shaking his head, he leaned over the sink and splashed more water again. The cold from it brought Ethan back close enough to reality that he felt okay enough to move again, and so he shakily dried off with a towel and left. 

Going back down, he made sure Spencer’s food and water dishes were filled enough to last for a while (just in case, his mind whispered) The boy grabbed his jacket, slipping his keys and phone into one of the pockets. He pulled on a pair of shoes, and ran out the door. 

The drive there was no better, Ethan's hands trying to fidget on the wheel. His focus was getting worse and worse, the only thoughts on his mind were about Mark and if he was okay. It felt like he was in a dream, and his mind was foggy with stress. 

Thankfully he had enough experience driving to not get into a crash, as he went slightly over the speed limit in a vain attempt to stop the clock. The closer he got, the more everything around him faded away. 

He pulled up into Mark's driveway (though it took longer than he would've liked) and rushed to shut off the car. Panting, the boy rested his head against the wheel as he tried to get back to Earth. Mark will never hear the end of this, he thought (or spoke? the words bounced in his head, and he was no longer able to tell if it was said out loud.) 

When his heart rate was at a somewhat normal level, he slowly extracted himself from the car and went up to the door. 

Keys in shaking hands, Ethan unlocked it and stumbled into the familiar home. Peering around, he saw small signs that it was occupied recently. A few dishes in the sink, pairs of shoes strewn about on the floor, an open can of soda on the table. But no Mark _or_ Chica. Mark must’ve left her with Amy, or taken her with him, he supposed. 

Sighing, he shed his jacket and hung it on the same hook he always did. Without a question he would be staying until Mark got back. After fetching himself a glass of water, he poked his head into the living room in search of the spare charger Mark kept for him - and that’s when he saw them. 

Neatly placed on the coffee table were the same supplies he had bought up at the cabin, though some clearly weren’t new. Ethan’s mouth hung open slightly, and his brows furrowed.  _ Goddamnit.  _ Mark had  _ planned  _ this!  _ He had left without a single fucking regard for anyone else for what? Some supernatural romping in god-knows-where? _ “Shit.” was all he could get out though, and he retreated back into the kitchen. 

He wasn’t as upset as last time, to be fair. But _still._ Mark could’ve told him! Ethan was having trouble figuring out why he’d leave so goddamn early in the day - when the sun was very much out and beating down. But he’d force it out of the other when he returned, whether he liked it or not. This was it. The big kahuna. The boy wasn’t leaving this house until he got answers and a confession (maybe more than one type, his heart hoped) 

Swallowing those traitorous thoughts down, Ethan rummaged through the fridge in search of something to snack on. He found a package of cheese cubes, and decided it was acceptable for now. Taking the cubes and phone, he sat down in the same seat he had sat in just a few weeks ago. 

There was no use texting Mark now that he had figured it out, so the boy idly browsed through Twitter for a while as he ate. Eventually he grew bored with his phone, and put the cheese back where he got it from. 

_ Well, since I’m here..  _ He thought, picking up the pair of shoes he saw earlier and neatly putting them by the door with the rest. Mark was always the messier of the pair, and every time Ethan was over the ever-constant mess practically screamed to be cleaned. His heart fluttered at the domesticity of it all, and he indulged in it just this once. 

The silence was just a little too much (reminding him of the dreaded trek through the woods) so he found the longest Spotify playlist he had, and let it shuffle through the songs as he worked.  _ “Christmas Kids”  _ started up, and Ethan couldn’t help but dance along to the beat. 

Before it got dark, he managed to: Clean and remove stale or rotting food from the fridge, (muttering in disgust as he did so,  _ Mark really needed to do this before it got so bad-)  _ pick up shirts and pants (??) just lounging on the floor like they belonged there and putting them in the long forgotten laundry basket up in Mark’s room, clean the few dishes in the sink, and emptying out the trash. It wasn’t much, but the space practically shone. Ethan felt something proud of himself, a feeling he was becoming more familiar with lately. (He was having more fun and happier than ever filming, thanks to Unus Annus.)

He locked the front door, shutting the blinds and turning on a lamp in the living room and the kitchen light. The task of dinner loomed over him. He’d definitely make enough for Mark to have when he got back, but  _ finding  _ enough food to actually make a proper dinner was a harder task. 

After staring at the contents of the fridge for what seemed like forever - he decided on some pasta. He would be willing to make meat as well for his less-than-human friend, but since he wasn’t 100% sure about it he let the idea fall to the side. 

Ethan found a pot and pan in one of the cabinets, and filled up the former with water to boil. (The fact he could so easily navigate the other’s kitchen made his neck flush) Taking out a box of pasta, he set it on the counter along with some grape tomatoes, spinach, garlic, onion, and butter. While the water boiled, he chopped up the garlic, onion, and tomatoes; putting them in tiny bowls for later. 

When the water was boiling, he put in a generous amount of pasta and set the timer for the appropriate amount of time. Ethan threw some oil into the pan, setting the heat to low and waiting for it to heat. The sound of sizzling filled the kitchen as he added the chopped ingredients to the pan, moving them around with the handle. 

The boy had done this recipe a few times for himself, and Mark liked it the one time he had tried leftovers when filming at his place - so he figured it was an easy way to please. 

He sprinkled some final touches of parmesan cheese on top of the pan, (now filled with cooked pasta, and the other ingredients he had prepared beforehand) smiling to himself at his handiwork. Ethan took out a bowl and fork, giving himself a good helping before sitting down at the center island. Even though it wouldn’t be as fresh as it was now, he knew Mark would still appreciate the thought. After he got past the whole staying in his house waiting for him.

After putting the leftovers in a container and cleaning the dishes, he finally let himself go back into the living room. Getting a closer look at the items on the table, he saw a varied box of band-aids, medical tape, biofreeze, disinfectant, and a cloth presumably for cleaning up any blood. 

The sight of them made Ethan’s stomach flip, but he sat down on the couch anyway. The exhaustion of both housework and stress was catching up to him, and his eyes were drooping on their own accord. He quickly set an alarm for about 6am (close enough to sunrise) before curling up on the couch and cushioning his head on one of the throw pillows. 

Before he could even think, he was asleep. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2 chapters in one day! I just liked this one a lot and didn't feel like waiting. it's only softness from here on out.

Ethan was warm. The heat was comforting, and he curled in on himself more. Though he wasn’t exactly sure where he was or why - it didn’t matter much to him at the moment. The sound of footsteps faded in as the fog from sleep left, and his eyes slowly blinked open. He was covered up with a blanket, and the throw pillow had been replaced with a proper one (that smelled just a little bit like Mark, he thought sleepily) 

“Mar’?” He croaked, voice raspy from not being used. “Hmm?” Mark’s voice also seemed to be rough - from other reasons. He was in the kitchen drinking coffee, and didn’t look nearly as bad as last time; clearly having cleaned himself up before Ethan woke. “I thou- I set ‘n alarm.” The boy huffed, sitting up and re-wrapping the blanket around himself. “I was ‘spposed to be awake,” 

“It’s okay, Eth. You needed to sleep, I wasn’t going to wake you.” The older man gently laughed, walking over to sit next to Ethan on the couch. “Slept right through your alarm,” He commented, taking a sip. He was acting normal - like he wanted to forget about the whole missing filming and disappearing. 

The younger boy yawned, resting his head against Mark’s shoulder in an action fully-coherent him would’ve cringed at. But Mark didn’t seem to mind, so he stayed put. “When’d you get back?” The other thought for a moment, “Sometime around 5?” Ethan could feel the faint rumbling from Mark’s chest, and all he wanted was to get closer. Something kept him still though - maybe the lingering embarrassment at his own feelings. 

He nodded, and found his eyes drifting back shut. The boy wasn’t about to fall back asleep, but the warmth to his side made it hard not to relax. Slowly but surely, the arm he was resting on shifted to wrap around his shoulders. That was the final straw, and Ethan made a soft noise before curling his free arm around Mark’s waist. 

Finally content, he let out a sigh and let himself practically melt against the other like putty. He wasn’t sure  _ why  _ Mark was being so indulgent, but hell if he was going to stop it. Any thoughts were blocked out by the sheer comfort he was feeling, and eventually he did slip back asleep.

* * *

“Hey, sleepy.” Mark’s voice cut through the haze of sleep, and he moved his head lazily in the direction it came from. His eyes slowly opened, and he noticed that the room wasn’t as bright as it was the last time he was awake. “Hi,” Ethan mumbled, pushing himself off of the couch. He was once again wrapped in the same blanket, and with the same pillow propped up against the armrest. 

Through the sleep in his eyes, he could see Mark give him a soft smile as he stood in the doorway. “I made breakfast,” The older man hummed, walking over and ruffling Ethan’s hair - messing it up more than it already was. “You really must’ve been tired, huh?” A gentle jab, and the younger boy couldn’t help but laugh a little. “I guess,” The smell of pancakes wafted into the room, and his stomach growled. 

Ethan pushed himself off of the couch, stretching his arms out in front of him before following Mark into the kitchen. The other had set out a plate in what the boy guessed was  _ his _ barstool now, and he sat down eagerly. “Thank you for this, Mark.” His chest felt warm, and a flush creeped up the back of his neck. “I really appreciate it.” The other nodded, and sat down on the stool next to him. 

When he was done, he rinsed off the plate and put it in the dishwasher. Turning back to Mark, who was browsing his phone, Ethan leaned against the table in front of him. “You know we have to talk about this, Mark.” He murmured, tilting his head sympathetically. 

The older man visibly stiffened, but met the other’s eyes nonetheless. “I wish we didn’t.” He replied, in the same soft tone. The younger boy nodded in understanding, swallowing down any nerves before speaking. “Do you want to tell me where you were?” He was giving the other a chance to come clean on his own, though he didn’t really expect him to. Mark looked away again. 

“I should’ve let you know that I wouldn’t have been able to film yesterday, and I’m sorry. I know-” He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I know that’s not the answer you’re looking for. And I’m sorry for that too. But I can’t- I promise I’m not out murdering anybody though, okay?” Mark laughed nervously, staring intently at the table. 

Ethan folded one hand over the other, before resting them under his chin. “I know what you were doing,” He hummed, like it was simply a passing greeting and not practically a confession. The other grimaced, but didn’t reply. “I saw you.”

_ “When?”  _ Mark almost seemed desperate, an urgency in his voice not present before. “The third night.” Ethan paused, letting the words sink in a bit. “I never went to sleep.” The other threaded his hands through his hair, letting out a strangled noise.  _ “Fuck.  _ You weren’t supposed to-” “I know. But did you really expect me to just let it go?” 

The older man shook his head. “No no, I figured you would find out eventually. You’re smart.” Ethan’s mind stumbled over the compliment, but he didn’t mention it. Neither had to say what  _ it  _ was, both avoiding the word like it was forbidden. “And I  _ knew  _ I was taking a risk, but I couldn’t just change my mind about going up to the cabin. I don’t regret it,” Mark let go of his hair, looking up at Ethan again. “But I wish I had more time to prepare for you.. Knowing. And I know I keep apologizing, and I’m sorry. For all of it.” 

The younger boy licked his lips, and it was his turn to look away. “I don’t- I don’t wanna say I don’t care about it, because I do. But I don’t.. It doesn’t make a difference about how I feel,” He choked on his words, trying to make it sound less like the love confession it seemed to be. “About you, or our friendship.” He twisted his hands together, foot tapping nervously against the floor. 

“And maybe I should’ve told you sooner that I knew.. Maybe we could’ve avoided all of this,” He motioned between them, “But it didn’t feel right, I guess.” Mark’s face seemed to tint red (which was odd, Ethan was always the flustered mess) and he laced his fingers together. “You really don’t mind?” His voice was quiet, softer than a whisper. 

Ethan walked over to the other side of the counter, nudging Mark’s shoulder so he was facing outward. “Of course I don’t. You’re still the same man with the overly-inflated ego to me, I promise.” He joked gently, before pulling the other into a hug. 

Mark immediately wrapped his arms around the younger boy, tight but not too constricting. Ethan buried his nose into the crook of his neck, breathing in the familiar scent. “Thank you,” The other mumbled, and he felt something suspiciously like a kiss on the top of his head. The thought made him dizzy in the best of ways, and he clung to the other tighter. 

They stayed like that for a while, just enjoying each other’s presence. Eventually though, the angle Ethan was bent at disagreed with his back, and he regretfully pulled away. Mark’s eyes glistened with a few unshed tears, only noticeable since they were so close together. 

“I made you lunch, last night.” Ethan hummed, hand lingering on the other’s arm. “I saw, thank you Eth.” Mark replied gently, giving the younger boy an indecipherable look. It didn’t look bad - but he still couldn’t figure out what it meant. The urge to do  _ more  _ crawled under his skin, and it took all of his effort not to surge in and kiss the other. He swallowed. 

“I should go take Spence out and feed him. I’ll come back after with Spencer though. Since we missed filming yesterday, and I feel bad leaving him at home alone for longer.” He remarked, walking over to where his jacket was hanging. “Yeah, ‘s a good idea. See you in a bit,” Mark hummed, getting up too and going over to the sink. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> one more chapter to go! thank you to everyone who's supported this fic, it means the world to me


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here it is! :}

They had just finished up recording the last video of the day -  _ We Pierced Each Other’s Ears.  _ It was a bit stressful for Ethan, he didn’t want to hurt Mark. But he had to admit, even though the fake diamond was a bit tacky - the other made it work surprisingly well. 

He enjoyed the small silver hoop in his ear as well, and knew after it was in that he wasn’t going to take it out. They were calming down from the performance high, still sitting at the table with the supplies strewn about. “That was fun,” Ethan beamed, lightly fidgeting with the silver adorning his ear. “It was,” Mark hummed, knocking their knees together. “It looks good on you, I like it.” 

The younger boy giggled a bit, playfully slapping Mark’s shoulder. “Yours looks better,” Their knees were still touching, and he couldn’t move away if he tried. “It’s tacky-” He poked at his own earring, “I don’t hate it. But yours  _ actually  _ looks good, Eth. It suits you.” Ethan felt the familiar heat burning on his neck, and he bit his lip.

“Thank you,” His voice was earnest, and he set his hands together in his lap. After a moment of comfortable silence, he spoke again. “Well, we should get this cleaned up.” His voice only shook a little. Something in the air had changed, but he couldn’t pinpoint what. Wasn’t sure if he wanted to. “Probably,” but Mark didn’t make a move to get up. His hand twitched where it lay on his knee, like the older man wanted to do something but stopped halfway through. 

“I’ll get this picked up, then d’you wanna watch some TV?” It was the least suspicious way of asking to stay, because Ethan  _ really  _ didn’t want to leave. Spencer was here already, probably relaxing somewhere with Chica (who had been there when he woke, Mark having picked her up from whoever he left her with, he supposed.) 

He collected the props, and Mark followed him out of the room, shutting off the light behind them. Stacking them neatly and carrying them into the kitchen, he set them on the counter. When everything was clean enough to his liking, Ethan went out into the living room and set down on the couch next to Mark, leaving a good foot of space between them. 

The older man flipped through the channels, settling on the history channel. Not the most exciting thing, but they probably wouldn’t be watching it much anyway.

Before Ethan knew it, they were only inches apart, heat radiating off of Mark like a furnace. The distance (or lack thereof) made his face flush, and hands nervously twist together. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt like taking a few risks. He had been doing that more, lately. Small lingering touches, fonder-than-friend looks - Ethan would almost consider it slipping up, if he didn’t secretly enjoy it. 

He leaned his side against the other’s, mirroring his actions from the morning. When the older man didn’t push him away, he let his hand rest on top of Mark’s wrist. No negative reaction. Ethan was feeling bolder than before. 

“So, I’m curious.” He broke the silence, glancing up at Mark. “Hmm?” Was hummed in response, eyes not leaving the screen. “When’d it happen? I mean- how long has it been.” The boy didn’t have to specify what, and Mark made a noise of understanding. 

“Well, okay. I don’t remember the exact date, but probably close to a year ago now?” He made it sound like nothing, like it wasn’t some permanent; life-altering event. Ethan’s hand slipped down to Mark’s and he grasped it gently. He paused, soaking in the feeling of hands intertwined for a moment. “Can I see?” His hand was squeezed back, and the other shifted so they were facing each other. 

“Yeah- hold on,” The older man hummed, pushing down his joggers and boxers just enough to reveal a large bite scar on his hip. It was clearly old, but it looked raised - like it hadn’t healed properly. The old wound was almost as big as the surgery scar on Mark's stomach, and stood out even moreso. “Hurt like a bitch.” Mark commented, watching as Ethan started at it.  _ He wanted to touch it _ . Before he registered it, his other hand was moving to trail over the darker skin; (he was right on his assumption it was raised) and he heard Mark inhale sharply. “Bad? I’m sorry, I should’ve-” 

“No no Eth, I promise it’s okay. I just didn’t expect anyone to be interested in it, I guess.” Ethan let his hand linger for a moment longer, before pulling it back. “Thank you for showing me,” He whispered, looking back up to meet the other’s eyes. He was made more aware of the lack of distance between their faces, the boy could practically feel Mark’s breath. He licked his lips. Mark’s eyes left his, for a split second. 

“Tell me this is okay,” Ethan murmured, gripping the older man’s hand tighter. Mark nodded, “Yes, please-” As soon as he heard the word yes, he cut him off with a kiss, shutting his eyes and shifting closer to the other. And it was everything he had imagined and more, easily getting lost in the motions as though they had been doing it forever. As if they had spent every life before now seeking out  _ this,  _ and Ethan had finally found it again. Hands found his hips and gripped on tight, like Mark let go he would drown. He shifted until he was straddling the other, cupping Mark’s face with both hands. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this,” he whispered, gazing lovingly into the other’s eyes. 

“Really?” He replied, “Even after knowing that I’m-” “Yes, absolutely. I told you I didn’t see you any differently,” Ethan tilted his head, “That doesn’t change a thing.” He kissed Mark again, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and threading a hand into dark hair. When they eventually had to break for air, the younger boy tucked his head under Mark’s. 

“Although, I gotta know. Why’d you leave so early in the day? I mean, it's not like the moons out at 1pm.” He laughed, relaxing against the other. Mark hummed in thought for a moment before responding. “Oh- yeah. I kind of take a me day, I guess. I drop Chica off at Amy’s, and take a looong drive to the nearest large forest. It ends up being an unintentional day trip.” He shrugged, “I should’ve told you though. Now at least we can work around it, I’m honestly surprised it hadn’t interfered with our filming schedule before.” 

Ethan nodded in understanding - there weren't many non-populated areas in L.A. after all. The hands on his hips lazily wrapped around him, pulling him a smidge closer. (and yes, as Ethan suspected, the TV was already long forgotten) “You’re not going home tonight, yeah?” Mark asked, though it was said more like it was already a fact. “Definitely not.” The younger boy grinned, moving so they were face-to-face again.

“You’re stuck with me now, love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and curtains! thank you all so much for your support on this, it (probably) wouldn't have been finished without it. 
> 
> so, a few notes of things I didn't get to/forgot to include in the story:  
> \- Mark's werewolf form is somewhere between glabro and crinos (leaning more toward crinos) (terms taken roughly from google)  
> \- I didn't specify, but I thought it'd be more interesting to include that full moons typically last 2-3 days (since a lot of the werewolf fics I've read only do one)  
> \- Mark isn't like, a gentle giant as a werewolf but he's not horrible (and to his credit, he's never eaten a person before) (yet)  
> \- Ethan is really interested in his bite scar and likes to touch it randomly, even while they're filming  
> \- Ethan has had thoughts of asking to be a werewolf too, but Mark would never let him, he doesn't want Ethan to be hurt  
> \- Ethan likes to wait outside near the end of the night for Mark, and sometimes gets werewolf cuddles.  
> \- Dresses Mark's wounds for him every time, even though Mark tries to insist that it's fine. (he eventually gives up)  
> \- Ethan vehemently checks everything with any trace of metal to make sure it doesn't have silver 
> 
> and that's all! I'll definitely be writing more crankiplier in the very near future, so make sure to look out for that :0  
> thank you all again so much for the kudos, comments, and bookmarks! have a great day :]


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